Garden Gate Plant Shop
by Alda Krinsman, Plant Shop Manager
The Garden Gate Plant Shop opened for regular business on April 11 and will remain open until October 31. The hours this year will be 9:30 to 3:30 Monday through Saturday and 12:00 to 3:30 on Sunday. If you are looking for indoor plants, check the Horticulture Center, where we will have them for sale throughout the year.
As in past years, we have a good selection of spring and fall blooming camellias from our grower in North Carolina, Cam Too Camellia Nursery. For those looking for flowering shrubs, we have pink blooming Deutzia YUKI KABUKI® and chartreuse-leaved Deutzia CHARDONNAY PEARLS®, both of which make good additions to flower and shrub borders. We also have a variety of Encore® reblooming azaleas. There will be many species of native deciduous shrubs, including chokeberries (Aronia), winterberry hollies (Ilex verticillata), possumhaw and arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum nudum and Viburnum dentatum), Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica), as well as sweet pepper bush (Clethra), which has an incredible fragrance and attracts pollinators. For those looking for hydrangeas, we will have several varieties of smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), including seed-grown wild types and cultivars such as ‘Haas Halo’ and some Proven Winner® varieties. We will also stock the popular oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) and panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata). If you are looking for witch hazels, make sure to check with us in early autumn.
Alda Krinsman, Garden Gate Plant Shop Manager. Photo Credit: Fred Blott.We strive to provide a large selection of perennials for sun and shade throughout the growing season, including early spring blooming woodland phlox (Phlox stolonifera and Phlox divaricata), foam flower (Tiarella), columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), crested iris (Iris cristata), and wild geranium (Geranium maculatum). As the growing season progresses, we will be adding more plants to our inventory, so you might want to stop by more than once! Look for several varieties of coral bells (Heuchera species), false indigo (Baptisia), and great ground covers such as golden ragwort (Packera aurea). For those looking to provide for pollinators, we will have a large selection of perennials, including mountain mints (Pycnanthemum), bee balms (Monarda), swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), and butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), as well as coneflowers (Echinacea) and black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia species). We will also have several species of asters and goldenrods for sale. These are key plants for pollinators!
In late spring, we will offer a selection of annuals, including coleus, tender perennials, and culinary herbs, including thyme, rosemary, and bay laurel. We will also have a selection of warm weather herbs such as basil, and a selection of tomatoes, many of which are suitable for growing in containers on balconies and patios. For those who like to incorporate edible fruit into their gardens, we will have blueberries and several varieties of figs, including ‘Olympian,’ ‘Chicago Hardy,’ and ‘Celeste.’
Here’s to a great growing season!
Garden Gate Plant Shop. Photo by Laura Strecker c.2022
